July 25, 2008

Field Guide: Fort Street

Take a break from work to explore what the heart of downtown Honolulu has to offer.

(page 1 of 2)


Photo by David Croxford


Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace

Built during Hawaii’s missionary era in 1843, Our Lady of Peace served as the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of the Hawaiian Islands. Today, the church stands as one of the oldest buildings in the downtown area and is actually the oldest cathedral in continuous use in the nation. The cathedral was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.  1184 Bishop St., 536-7036.

Photo by David Croxford

Flower Flair co-owner May Chen inspects her work.





Flower Flair


It’s a family flower affair at this florist shop located on the mauka end of the mall. Owners and siblings Rachel Chen, May Chen and Pake Tubal work together to offer customers tropical plants, floral arrangements and handmade lei utilizing local growers whenever possible. Flower Fair also features two prominent store mascots, a pair of pet birds named Suzy and Pumpkin. “They’re more popular than us,” May says.  1188 Fort St. Mall, 531-3248.


King Fort Magazine Shop


Photo by David Croxford



Although Duane Hong has owned this Fort Street institution for 12 years, the shop has actually been around for at least 20, “before there was even a mall out there,” says Hong. Over the years, the shop’s couple thousand magazine titles have attracted a variety of regular customers. “Everyone from students to CEOs, we get people from all walks of life.” 1122 Fort St. Mall, 538-0266.






Did you know? You can thank Mayor Mufi Hannemann for the free wireless Internet access along the mall. “Kokua Wireless” launched last October in an effort to stimulate economic development downtown.


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Letters - July 2008

... on grading Hawaii's public schools, politics in Hawaii and the unsung heroes of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

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...on Randall Roth's "Politics in Hawaii," HPD officers and abstinence-only education.

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